Coin holder



Jan. 2, 1968 M. c. SHELTON ET Al. 3,361,142

COIN HOLDER Filed May 27, 1966 2 sheets sheet 1 M Z E ZI Y a calm )7 fan Paul L. Graham &L.

A fun 76y.

Jan. 2, 1968 SHELTON ET AL 3,361,142

com HOLDER Filed May 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ. Iva/calm Jba/fan Paul L. ra/ram A f far/76y.

United States Patent O 3,361,142 COIN HOLDER Malcolm C. Shelton, 2902 E. Russell Road, Kansas City, Mo. 64117, and Paul L. Graham, 612 Lakeview Road, Blue Springs, Mo. 64015 Filed May 27, 1966, Ser. No. 553,515 4 Claims. (Cl. 133-6) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application discloses a coin holder adapted to be carried conveniently in the pocket, and constituting generally a flat disc with a series of coin recesses opening outwardly therefrom, a retainer carried by said body member and movable relative thereto to provide access selectively to any one of said recesses, and detent means for securing said retainer releasably in positions obstructing access to all of said recesses.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in coin holders, and has as its principal object the provision of a coin holder adapted to be carried conveniently in the pocket, and into which coins may be easily and rapidly inserted, or removed from, one at a time, with no danger of accidental dispensing of coins at any time.

Another object is the provision of a coin holder of the character described consisting of a body member having a series of coin-receiving recesses therein, retainer means carried by said body member and movable relative thereto to provide access to any one of said recesses, and detent means for securing said retainer means releasably in positions wherein it obstructs access to any of said recesses.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efliciency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for use in storing and dispensing small articles other than coins.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a coin holder embodying the present invention, having coins inserted therein, and with the top retainer member adjusted to prevent removal of said coins,

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the coin holder as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an inverted plan view of the coin holder, with the bottom retainer member adjusted to permit the insertion or removal of a coin,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view similar to FIG. 1, with the coins omitted, and with the top retainer member partially broken away,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line VV of FIG. 4, with the holder secured in its closed position,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the top retainer member released for rotation to insert or remove a coin,

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a coin holder of modified construction, said holder being secured in its closed position,

FIG. 9 is an edge view of the holder as shown in FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line X-X of FIG. 8, with the retainer member adjusted to permit the insertion or removal of a coin,

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line XIXI of FIG. 10, and

FIG. 12 is an edge view of the body member only of the coin holder as shown in FIG. 11, the retainer member being omitted.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and referring first to that species of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-7, the numeral 2 applies generally to the body member of the holder, said body member having the general form of a flat circular disc and being formed of plastic, metal or other suitable material. The use of a transparent plastic material will render the coins visible in an interesting geometric pat tern, as will appear, and also will permit the user to determine at a glance the number of coins in the holder at any time. Body member 2 consists of a pair of coinciding circular discs 4 having their mating surfaces bonded together, as by cement or heat sealing, as indicated at 6, and each having a series of circular holes 8 formed therethrough, said holes being regularly angularly spaced about the axis of the disc and each forming a coin receiving recess. The distal faces of the discs are concentrically recessed to form shallow recesses 10 therein, and all of holes 8 are disposed within said recesses. The portions of each disc in which holes 8 are formed are of slightly greater thickness than the coins 12 to be contained in said holes, and said holes are of slightly greater diameter than said coins. The holes of one disc 4 are angularly staggered with respect to the holes of the other disc, as best shown in FIG. 4, so that each disc forms a partial bottom or end wall for the holes of the other disc to prevent coins from passing completely through the body member. However, portions of each hole 8 open into the opposite disc, appear.

Discs 4 have matching holes 14 formed centrally therethrough, said holes being partially obstructed by an annular washer 16 interposed between said discs, which are countersunk to accommodate said washer. Extending axially through said washer is a pin or rivet 18, said rivet being rotatable and longitudinally slidable in said washer. Rotatably mounted on each end of said rivet is a circular retainer disc 20, said discs being parallel to the plane of the body member and of such diameter as to engage respectively in recesses 10 of said body member for rotation and axial sliding movement therein. Retainer discs 20 are spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of that portion of the body in which holes 8 are formed, and are normally held in generally equally spaced relation from the opposite faces of said body member by a pair of spring washers 22 disposed respectively in the central holes 14 of discs 4 and encircling rivet 18. One face of each of said washers bears against washer 16, and the other face against the adjacent retainer disc.

Each retainer disc 20 has a single generally circular aperture 24 formed therethrough eccentrically to rivet 18, so as to be brought selectively into registering relation with any of the holes 8 of the associated body disc 4 by rotation of said retainer disc on said rivet. On the inner face of each retainer disc, at the peripheral edge thereof, are formed a series of detent lugs 26. Said lugs are spaced apart angularly of said retainer disc, and are operable to enter notches 28 formed at angularly spaced intervals in the associated body disc 4. Lugs 26 are angularly related to aperture 24 at such a degree that they can enter notches 28 only when aperture 24 is disposed midway between any pair of sucessive holes 8 of the associated disc 4, so that coins from said holes cannot escape through said retainer disc aperture.

In operation, it will be seen that when retainer discs 20 are spaced apart equally from the opposite sides of the body member, as in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lugs 26 of both retainer discs are engaged in the notches 28 of the for a purpose which will presently portions of the two adjacent holes of associated body discs 4. This engagement is clearly shown in FIG. 6. The retainer discs are thus secured against rotation relative to the body member, in such positions, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 that no coin can be either inserted or removed through the apertures 24 of said retainer discs. To remove or insert a coin, theholder is held in a generally horizontal plane, grasping the rim thereof between the thumb and fingers of one hand, and pressing upwardly with the forefinger of the same hand on the retainer disc which is then lowermost, or on the lower end of rivet 18. This elevates said lower retainer disc, by compressing the lower of spring washers 22, and correspondingly elevates the upper retainer disc partially out of its recess 10 of the body member. The lugs 26 of said upper retainer disc are thus elevated free of notches 28 of the body member, so that said retainer disc can be freely rotated with the other hand to bring aperture 24 thereof into registery with any one of holes 8 in the adjacent body disc. A coin 12 may then of course be either inserted into or removed from said hole. The manual pressure on the lower retainer disc is then released, whereupon the elastic recovery of the lower spring washer 22 urges the upper retainer disc downwardly until lugs 26 thereof engage upper body disc 4. The upper retainer disc is then further rotated, in either direction until lugs 26 thereof snap into notches 28, whereupon the holder is positively latched against the accidental dis charge of any coin therefrom. It will also be obvious that if the lower ends of lugs 26 were rounded, they would be cammed. out of notches 28 by a simple rotational torque applied to the retainer disc, and would not require axial pressure on the retainer discs to release them. An advantage of angularly staggering the holes 8 of the two body discs is that it forms holes extending completely through the body member parallel to its axis. Therefore, if a coin should become stuck or jammed in the holder, it can be dislodged by aligning apertures 24 of both retainer discs therewith, and inserting a pencil or the like through the entire assembly.

In the species of the invention shown in FIGS. 8-12, the body member 30 is also of flat disc form, consisting of two coinciding discs 32 having their mating faces bonded together as at 34 (see FIG. 10), and may also be formed of transparent plastic or other suitable material. Formed in the face of each disc 32 abutting the other disc are a series of shallow recesses 36, each recess being of a depth and width to receive a coin 38 therein. Said recesses are spaced at regular angular intervals about the axis of the disc, and open through the peripheral edge of the disc, rather than through the face of the disc as in FIGS. 1-7. The recesses 36 of each disc 32 are angularly offset with respect to the recesses of the other disc, so that the portions of each disc intermediate the recesses thereof prevent coins from moving from a recess of one disc to a recess of the other. Thus a coin can be inserted into or removed from each recess only through the mouth of said recess at the periphery of the body memben'Due to the overlapping of recesses 36, the two discs actually contact each other, and are bonded together, only at the central portions thereof.

In this species of the invention, the retainer means constitutes a retainer ring 40 formed of resilient metal or other suitable material encircling body member 30, said ring being slidably rotatable on said body member. Said ring overlies the peripheral edges of both body discs 32, and is interrupted to form an opening 42 therein, said opening being of a width, peripherally of said ring, substantially equal to the width of the mouth of one of coin recesses 36. Thus by rotating said ring on the body member, opening 42 may be brought selectively into registry with any one of recesses 36 to permit a coin to be inserted into or removed from said recess, while at the same time obstructing the mouths of all other recesses. The inner periphery of ring 40 has a pair of peripherally extending dovetail grooves 44 formed therein, and the peripheral edges of body discs 32 are correspondingly shaped for engagement in said grooves. In this manner, the retainer ring is held in assembly with the body member, and also the edges of the body discs are maintained in uniformly spaced relation.

It will be seen that as the retainer ring is rotated on the body member, opening 42 registers alternately with the mouths of recesses 36 in first one body disc 32 and then the other. Intermediate each of these successive pairs of registering positions, opening 42 overlaps approximately one-half of the width of recess 36 of one body disc, and one-half of the width of an adjacent recess of the other body disc, and that in this position no coin can be removed from or inserted in either recess. These intermediate positions thus represent locked or closed positions of the holder. To secure the retainer ring releasably in any one of these locking positions, ring 40 is provided adjacent one side of opening 42 with a rounded internal detent boss 46, this boss being disposed in the dovetail grooves 44 of said ring, and being engageable selectively with any one of a Series of rounded notches 48 formed at angularly spaced intervals in the peripheral edges of body discs 32. The angular disposition of said notches is of course such that whenever boss 46 is in engagement with any of said notches, ring opening 42 will be disposed in one of its intermediate or locking positions. Since boss 46 is rounded as shown, it may be dislodged from any notch 48 by turning ring 40 on the body member, ac-

companied by a slight outward springing of the end of the ring carrying said boss, as shown in FIG. 11.

While .we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of our invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin holder comprising:

(a) a body member comprising a generally planar disc having a series of coin-receiving recesses formed therein in angularly spaced relation about the axis thereof and opening outwardly through a face of said disc normal to said axis,

(b) a retainer member comprising a flat disc parallel to and overlying said body member face whereby normally to obstruct the openings of all of said recesses, said disc being coaxial with said body member,

(c) means connecting said disc to said body member for relative coaxial rotation thereof, and for movement of said disc relative to said body member in a direction parallel to their common axis, said disc having an aperture formed therein operable by rotation of said disc relative to said body members to be brought selectively into registry with the opening of any of said recesses to provide access thereto for the insertion or removal of a coin,

(d) a detent lug carried by said retainer disc in spaced relation from the axis thereof and projecting toward said body disc, said body disc having notches formed therein each operable to receive said lug, whereby to prevent relative rotation of said body and retainer discs, at positions wherein said retainer disc aperture is disposed angularly intermediate any two adjacent recesses of said body member,

(e) resilient means biasing said retainer disc toward said body disc to maintain said lug releasably in engage-ment with any one of said notches, and

(f) manual means for moving said retainer disc away from said body disc, whereby to free said lug from said notches to permit free rotation of said retainer disc.

2. A coin holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said body disc is provided with recesses opening through both faces thereof, and with the addition .of:

(a) a second retainer disc similar to said first-named retainer disc and overlying the opposite face of said body disc,

(b) a pin axially slidable in said body disc and on the opposite ends of which said retainer discs are respectively rotatably mounted, said pin being of such length that said retainer discs are spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of said body disc, and

(c) spring means yieldably biasing said pin to a central position in which said retainer discs are spaced equally from opposite sides of said body disc, in which position the detent lugs of both retainer discs are engaged in their corresponding notches, said pin being axially slidable in respectively opposite directions, against the pressure of said spring means, to disengage the detent lug of one retainer disc or the other from the notches of said body disc.

3. A coin holder comprising:

(a) a body member constituting a generally planar disc having a series of coin recesses formed therein and opening through the peripheral edge of said disc at angular-1y spaced points thereabout, and

(b) a retainer member constituting a split ring formed of a resilient material engaged about the periphery of said body disc and rotatable thereon, the inner surface of said retainer ring and the peripheral edge of said body disc having formed thereon interengaging elements whereby the resilience of said ring secures it in assembly with said body disc, the opening between the opposed ends of said split ring retainer being of a width substantially equal, measured peripherally of the ring, to the width of one of said coin recess openings, whereby to render each of said recesses successively accessible for the insertion or removal of a coin as said ring is rotated on said body disc.

4. A coin holder as recited in claim 3 wherein said retainer ring has a detent boss formed on the inner periphery thereof adjacent the opening thereof, said boss being engageable selectively in any of a series of notches formed therefor in the peripheral edge of said body disc at angularly spaced intervals, whereby said retainer ring is releasably retained at any of a series of positions in which the opening of said ring is disposed angularly intermediate successive openings of said coin recesses, said boss being rounded in the plane of said ring and biased toward engagement with said notches by the resilience of Said ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,159,535 11/1915 Schut 122-6 11,447,974 3/1923 Field 133-6 1,560,074 11/1925 Field 133-6 1,823,227 9/1931 Alland.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner. 

